I'm looking for a nice operating desk setup for my rigs. First I have to say as far as carpentry goes, I'm very challenged in this area. I couldn't cut a straight cut if my life depended on it. For starters, if I can use it, I have a large flat very sturdy table that is 3x10' in size. I can either build on this or discard it. My gear consists of 2 amps, an Alpha 76 for HF and an SB-221 for six, the HF rig is a Ten Tec Omni VII. And a full size manual tuner , Palstar 2500. Then I have the VHF/UHF rigs with are all separate mobile type rigs for each band. Oh, and I can't forget the Sounds Sweet communications speaker. I have Alinco's Dr-135, 235 & 435, plus a Kenwood TK-981, and yes a mobile CB radio, Texas Ranger 396. I live near the interstate and monitor it in case someone has an emergency. The power supplies for all of this can be tucked away somewhere out of the way.

Suggestions? Pictures? Any input would be appreciated it, especially by my YL.

Of course you can use it--you said it was sturdy. If you change your mind and don't want to, what I've done is get a used, surplus office desk, the kind with a file drawer in it. The smaller drawers can be used to hold tools and test equipment and the file drawer for your manuals and station paperwork.

With this type setup, if you take the time to put stuff away after use (I just say that because sometimes I don't ) your station will always look neat and professional--yet you will still have everything readily at hand if you need it. Used desks like this can usually be had at second hand shops for less than $50. Good luck and 73!

I bought a Norden expandable kitchen table from Ikea. I bought the smaller of the two, but now that I had plenty of room, I promptly used all the room and needed to expand it. I ended up building a shelf for it that's 14" wide and 6' long, the standad size board that was already sanded at Lowes. I inserted 10" tall spacers cut from another board purchased there in the lumber section--three in all, between the two 6' long boards and screwed them down tight. Voila--a sturdy shelf that spreads the weight of the radios placed on it across the 6' long lower of the two boards. Still, I realize now I should have purchased the larger-size kitchen table...probably will one of these days. You assemble the table yourself, but even I could do it, so it clearly isn't too hard. The Norden table is very, very sturdy and heavy. I recommend it.

I've always used surplus office desks. They're wide, and deep, and are usually heavy. They have storage usually on both sides. Most office desks can also be disassembled, so you can remove the top, from the left and right halves, even take the legs off if you have to, so they can be easily moved around.

For my stacking shelves, I always build my own. You don't have to know how to "cut straight" in order to build your own. After designing my shelf and settling on a depth (usually 15"), I run to Home Depot, purchase a 4x8 sheet of sanded birch plywood, and have them rip the sheet lengthwise into 15" wide strips using their 4X8 panel saw. The results are clean edges,and perfectly square So you end up with three 15" wide strips plus a little scrap piece. Now it's just a matter of cutting the stirips into shelve pieces according to your design. For that, you do need a circular saw. You'll need a couple of pipe clamps, a carpenter's square, glue and square drive cabinet screws. You don't need a woodworking shop. I assembled mine outside on a sunny day using a couple of saw horses. I've attached a picture of my latest shelf. A masterpiece it's not, but it's very functional, and it holds all of my equipment in cubby holes specifically designed for them.

I use an old teachers desk. I think it is oak. I see them on Craigslist often around here. They are big, deep, heavy, and have large drawers. Mine has two pull out shelves, one on each side which often come in handy. I could stack a LOT of real heavy gear on it. It is no fun to move though!!In any event, look on Craigslist for desks and see what you can find. You may not have to pay much for one that you like.

I've always used surplus office desks. They're wide, and deep, and are usually heavy. They have storage usually on both sides. Most office desks can also be disassembled, so you can remove the top, from the left and right halves, even take the legs off if you have to, so they can be easily moved around.

For my stacking shelves, I always build my own. You don't have to know how to "cut straight" in order to build your own. After designing my shelf and settling on a depth (usually 15"), I run to Home Depot, purchase a 4x8 sheet of sanded birch plywood, and have them rip the sheet lengthwise into 15" wide strips using their 4X8 panel saw. The results are clean edges,and perfectly square So you end up with three 15" wide strips plus a little scrap piece. Now it's just a matter of cutting the stirips into shelve pieces according to your design. For that, you do need a circular saw. You'll need a couple of pipe clamps, a carpenter's square, glue and square drive cabinet screws. You don't need a woodworking shop. I assembled mine outside on a sunny day using a couple of saw horses. I've attached a picture of my latest shelf. A masterpiece it's not, but it's very functional, and it holds all of my equipment in cubby holes specifically designed for them.

Not a masterpiece??? Are you kidding me??? It looks awesome. I want to know how you made the joints for the shelves. The usual is to notch on a table saw then slide the shelves into them for support. Please can you send some closeup of the shelf joints to kh6dc@arrl.net

Thanks. I'll try to get a couple of close-ups off to you this week. The correct way would be to dado the the plywood, but I don't own wood working equipment. Instead, I used square drive cabinet screws. The coarse threads bite tightly into the plys. I also glue as well. To finish the job, I applied oak edgebanding to the face of the shelf which effectively hides the plys. The back of it comes coated with heat activated glue and is activated with a hot clothes iron.

I took two "L" desks from the local electronics store as the basis for my combined computer and radio position. The "L" desks have a short side and a long side. I put one of the short sides in a different room as a side table. The remaining three sides I put together as

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The "front" long section is the computer operating position with monitors, keyboards, etc. The "right" short section is for my work laptop when I work from home. The "left" long section is the radio operating position. I picked up a little 12" x 36" two-level shelf to hold the radios, tuners, etc. (I have a small, 2-radio shack) I plan to get rolling two-drawer file cabinets to put under the "left" and "right" sections for files, tools, etc.

My operating desk is made up of two solid core doors purchased from Lowe’s and positioned in an L shape with the second door to my left, I am left handed. The front edge of both doors was slightly rounded off with a router and they were sanded and finished with several coats of polyurethane. The steel legs I bought from surplus and were cleaned and painted appropriately. The desk in front of me has all of the radio equipment positioned on it. The legs have Teflon coated pads attached that were also purchased from Lowe’s. With these pads attached I can slide the desk out at any time I want to change or fix things very easily. Unless you permanently leave a couple of feet open behind your operating desk this is a MUST. It makes things so much easier to be able to get behind the desk and work on your equipment. My floor has a cheap office carpet on it but it doesn’t matter what kind of floor you have or how heavy your desk is, these pads work. Good luck building your station and have fun.

You can get the 'Bakers Rack' shelving with desk surfaces as part of the kit. It's on page 314 of the Global Industrial catalog. I have the 72" wide unit, we have the family computer setup and network central, my ham station with a laptop, and lots of high and low storage.see http://www.globalindustrial.com/g/office/computer-furniture/lan-workstations/wire-lan-stationThere are all kinds of accessories - dividers, sides and back for shelves, under shelf bins, etc. I've had mine now for about 14 years. It mostly goes together with just a rubber mallet.

On the shelving - be sure to look through the actual catalog for all the options. I've got one shelf below the desktop, with bins under the shelf, and three shelves above the desktop. Don't bother with the keyboard slideouts, just make the desktop the right height for keyboards, paddles, keys, etc. all heights are adjustable in 1" increments The shipping is by truck freight only. Assembly is a hoot!

On the shelving, you may want to consider closet racks/shelves that are able to be put together according to the amount of room in a closet. They're available at Home Depot, Lowes and some other stores. These shelves are not solid, but are wire rack type shelves--better for ventilation. There are different lengths and more than one way to assemble them.

The only need probably would be a hutch type frame that you may need to build to give the racking system something to be assembled in.

Added--One nice thing is that you can strengthen them easily with wood panels, which, with some measuring, cutting and notching, will lock into the shelves easily, while still letting ventilation of the electronics be easily accomplished.

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